A massive dam has overflowed, halting desperate efforts to find hundreds missing - including 33 Brits - after horror flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Chinese media has reported that a barrier lake, formed during Wednesday's landslide and holding over two million cubic metres of water, overflowed today. Rescue operations in the area have been suspended while the situation is monitored. Nepal police reported earlier that the dam had "breached" on the Tibetan side of the border.
Death toll and missing figures
At least 475 people have died in Nepal where nearly 1,000 people are missing, while 558 people are missing in Tibet, where three people have been confirmed dead. On both sides of the border, hundreds of foreign nationals are among those missing, including 33 British citizens. A 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy are believed to be the youngest UK citizens unaccounted for.
The Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said river levels rose by up to nine metres in just 30 minutes at the height of the flash floods on Wednesday.
Dammed lake busts its banks
A dammed lake has burst its banks on the Tibetan side of the border, sparking an alert by Nepal police. Search and rescue operations have been suspended for 90 minutes while locals, rescuers and security forces move to a safe location. Authorities in Nepal had said that the number of people killed in the disastrous flash floods has risen to 475. Nepal Police said search and rescue operations were ongoing as crews worked to remove roadblocks to areas hit by the water.
Nepal's National Disaster authority has shared a database that tracks live rescue updates as search and operations continue after Wednesday's horror floods. The catastrophic deluge razed entire villages, swept away massive suspension bridges, and flattened entire power plants. As for the human toll, 469 bodies have been recovered so far. 977 people remain missing with 517 of those foreign nationals. More than 3,000 people have been found alive, the NDRRMA data confirms.
Risk of further snap floods
Officials are warning that there is a risk of possible further flooding at the China-Nepal border, days after Wednesday's catastrophic deluge razed entire villages without warning, as rescuers continue to search for the nearly 1,000 people still missing. China has warned that a barrier lake formed at the confluence of the Tsogyal and Purupqiangzangbu rivers is overflowing and could burst. Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority added. Chinese satellite data suggests the river was "blocked" and a lake had formed near the site of the floods.
The latest figures out of Nepal have been shared by the mountainous nation's National Disaster authority. As per the latest report, chronicling the disaster reports in the wake of Wednesday's catastrophic flash floods along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river banks, the death toll stands at 389 dead and 977 missing. Of the missing, 517 are foreign nationals.
Impact on British citizens
A British woman is among 27 travellers unaccounted for in Nepal, according to Fishtail Tours and Travels, which said Leena Bector is among those linked to the tour group. Her husband, Bhupesh Bector, told The Times: "I know that she’s in Nepal for sure … so even if they find her today or tomorrow, I need to be there."
A nurse from Essex says several relatives are missing after being "swept away" by the floods in Nepal. Rajendra Pudasaini, who works at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, told the Press Association his wife’s aunt and uncle, their granddaughter and her husband, and his godson are missing. He said his mother was rescued by the army with her two-and-a-half-month-old great-grandchild after becoming trapped in hospital. Mr Pudasaini said communication with family members has been badly affected by damage to electricity supplies and internet connections.
A senior nurse from Dartford is among those missing following the devastating floods in Nepal. Sarada Simkhada, who works at Darent Valley Hospital, travelled to the country last Saturday for a holy trip. She moved to Britain more than 20 years ago and is known as a hard-working member of her team, a friend told reporters. Meanwhile, Sunil Amin, from Croydon, said he last heard from his wife Hema Amin at around 4.30pm on Monday after she travelled to Nepal with her sister, Hemangini Pate.
Cause of the flooding
The flooding appears to have been triggered by a glacial collapse and debris flow near the Nepal-China border, according to the United States Geological Survey. A seismic event recorded at 8.37am local time on Wednesday was initially thought to be an earthquake, but the USGS later said further analysis showed "no earthquake had occurred". It concluded the event was a glacial collapse which sent debris downstream, causing what it described as "subsequent catastrophic impacts".
A massive dam has overflowed halting desperate efforts to find hundreds missing - including 33 Brits - after horror flooding in Nepal and Tibet. The death toll has risen to 469, Nepal police have said. At least 469 people have died in Nepal and hundreds more are missing after Wednesday's flash flooding in the Himalayan border region, authorities have revealed.
